I'm not sure how this will appear - The box says "Post Reply" - I tried to post earlier, but don't see my post. I'm a 72 yo woman who had 3 shingles shots; the live virus one when I was 59 and the two non-virus ones in the past year. I had an outbreak of shingles not long after my last shingles shot and following the resolution of that rash, developed GD. Interestingly, it did not touch the area over the shingles outbreak (under my right clavicle.) I saw that it seemed to only affect previously sun-damaged skin (all damage was done before the age of 20.)

The fact that cilantro is so widely recommended implies that there is some kind of heavy metal toxicity, since cilantro is a known heavy-metal detox. In addition to using cilantro in my smoothie, I have started to take zeolite, (well researched to be safe) from a company called Waiora. Zeolite is a material that is used to remove heavy metals in the environment, in livestock and in people. Waiora seems to have a proprietary method of scrubbing the zeolite to remove existing heavy metals to make room for whatever it runs into in your body. It binds very firmly with heavy metals so it never releases them into your body, but escorts it out.

A dermatologist posted a video on YouTube of a punch biopsy of GD showed lots of empty spaces between skin cells (typical of sun-damaged skin) and said that the papules were comprised of dead skin cells. From this I gathered that scrubbing the papules in the shower would not do any harm. To address the "empty spaces" in sun damaged skin, (I think of this as leaky-skin syndrome) I have started ingesting collagen (which I buy at Costco) and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid. High molecular weight HA is anti-inflammatory, low molecular weight HA is a carcinogen. I was expecting it to take 3 months for that to have any effect. It seems to me that the outbreak areas have now (after less than a month) been chased to smaller areas where my skin is thinnest - in between my breasts. It seems that there is now a triple layer of bumps in that area and it both itches and hurts. However, there seem to be some wayward bumps on my stomach and sides where there isn't any sun-damaged skin. Regardless of the effect on GD, the collagen and hyaluronic acid have made my facial skin look better than it has in 40 years! I have read on this site that people have been using alcohol, witch hazel and vinegar on their outbreaks. I have started using vinegar - but I will try witch hazel, and I appreciate the recommendation of Eucerine Skin calming body wash - I will pick some up today.

I am able to get some sleep wearing a tight fitting turtleneck turned inside out. I wish I had a full body elastic suit, like a leotard. Anything loose - clothing or bedding - that touches my skin causes tickle=itching. Arnica gel worked for awhile but then stopped. It still works for daytime itch, but not night. Bengay at night burns but takes away the itch - usually have to reapply in the middle of the night. I take Chlorpheniramine (an anti-histamine, which is cheap, sedating and OTC, at night which both calms itch and helps sleep.I also have learned to shower or wipe sweat after any workout. I tried a sauna, as one person talked about that as a treatment, but the sauna in my retirement community is so yucky, I just can't do. I appreciate everyone's sharing their experiences and possible solutions. I would like people's input as to what moisturizer they feel is best. I have been making a concoction of coconut oil with frankincense, eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils. I have no idea what would work best.